European stocks close lower Monday

European stocks closed lower across the board on Monday.

The United Kingdom's FTSE 100 index dropped 0.28 percent to close at 10,720.30 points. France's CAC 40 index shed 0.66 percent to finish at 8,579.60 points. Germany's DAX index fell 0.38 percent to end the session at 26,338.61 points.

China stands ready to work with Mekong countries in the direction set by the leaders and jointly usher in a new Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) golden decade, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Thursday.

The 11th LMC Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held in Beijing on Wednesday, which comes on the 10th anniversary of the first LMC Leaders' Meeting. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow co-chaired the meeting.

The six LMC countries agreed at the meeting that over the past decade, LMC has grown with strong momentum in all dimensions, at various levels and in multiple areas, delivered tangible results beneficial to all and boosted the modernization of the six countries, said Guo.

"Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that China stands ready to work with Mekong countries in the direction charted by our leaders, take down-to-earth actions to solve problems and improve people's well-being, and take more effective measures to jointly advance modernization, set LMC as a leading example of regional cooperation and solidarity and collective strength of the Global South, and jointly usher in a new LMC golden decade," said Guo.

The LMC mechanism comprises six countries, namely China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.